FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 19, 2025
Contact: [email protected]
JUST IN: Constituent Survey Shows Michiganders Want a Bipartisan Roads Deal ASAP
LANSING, Mich. — Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer released the results from a survey of Michigan constituents on the roads. Michiganders acknowledged positive progress on roads over the past five years and urged further action on a comprehensive, bipartisan plan to fix state and local roads so they can save money, be safe, and get where they need to go.
“A majority of Michiganders want safe, reliable roads so they can go to work, drop their kids off at school, and run errands without blowing a tire or cracking an axle,” said Governor Whitmer. “The initial results of the survey my office sent out last Friday are clear—people want the legislature to pass a bipartisan roads plan to fix state and local roads as soon as possible. While people acknowledged the progress we’ve made over the last five years, they also shared hundreds of stories about how much poor road conditions cost them and how much safer they would feel if we kept our foot on the accelerator. We’ve fixed a lot of major roads since I took office, but our work is not over. Let’s work together on a roads plan to fix state and local roads, protect thousands of good-paying jobs, and make a real difference in people’s lives.”
Road Survey Summary
Those surveyed said that Michigan’s roads today are better than they were five years ago and note that recent improvements in their area have made it easier and safer for them to get around, but they are concerned about legislative inaction on a roads deal. There were hundreds of stories about how adverse road conditions impact daily life, car repairs, and safety. Respondents also voiced strong support for ensuring that every penny drivers pay at the pump goes towards roads.
Road Survey Results
- Are Michigan’s roads in better or worse condition than they were 5 years ago?
- 57% Better
- 25% Worse
- 18% Unsure
- Have recently completed road improvements in your area made it easier or safer to get around?
- 64% Yes
- 36% No
- How important is it to you that the Michigan Legislature acts this year to pass a comprehensive, bipartisan roads plan so we fix Michigan’s state and local roads and bridges?
- 72% Very Important
- 17% Somewhat Important
- 3% Not Important At All
- How have poor road conditions affected you or your family’s daily life, care repairs and expenses, or safety?
- Direct quotes summarizing stories shared: “longer commutes because of poor roads,” “every day activities more difficult and dangerous,” “people veering to miss potholes,” “never ending repairs,” “go out of my way to avoid certain roads.”
- If the Michigan Legislature does not pass a long-term roads plan, how concerned are you that your community’s roads and bridges will fall into disrepair?
- 64% Very Concerned
- 23% Somewhat Concerned
- Why does rebuilding local roads matter to you and your community? What impact would better roads have?
- Direct quotes summarizing stories shared: “fewer flat tires,” “less traffic,” “more pride in our state,” “safety is the number one concern!” “helps ensure businesses can move their products to market,” “ease of getting around.”
- Right now, not all of the revenue collected by the sales tax on gas you pay at the pump goes towards fixing our roads. Governor Whitmer wants every penny drivers pay at the pump to go towards the roads. Do you agree that 100% of the sales tax on gas you pay at the pump should be used to fix Michigan’s roads and bridges?
- 81% Yes, I agree
- 13% Unsure
- 6% No, I disagree
- How much do you think poor road conditions increase your family’s annual costs for things like vehicle repairs, maintenance, and fuel?
- 35% More than $500/year
- 29% $250-$500/year
- 20% $100-$250/year
Fixing the Damn Roads in Michigan
By the end of this year’s construction season, Michigan will have repaired over 24,500 lane miles of road and 1,900 bridges since Governor Whitmer took office. Over the last six years, the Governor and the Legislature have worked together to deliver six balanced, bipartisan budgets investing more than $24 billion to fix Michigan’s roads and bridges, more than the previous eight years combined. These investments have been paired with actions to train thousands of workers for high-wage jobs, including in the construction industry.
However, as the Rebuilding Michigan plan and federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act near expiration, Michigan is approaching a devastating funding cliff for both state-managed and local roads. Without a long-term, bipartisan road funding solution, thousands of good-paying jobs will be at risk. Critical projects will be delayed or canceled, creating more dangerous conditions for drivers, further straining our infrastructure, and jacking up the cost of future projects.
Governor Whitmer is committed to working with anyone to fix the damn roads with the right mix and materials, so they are built to last. Recently, she sent a letter to the directors of MDOT and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity calling on them to compile and publicly release data on the impact of the state’s road funding cliff and federal funding rollbacks on Michigan’s unemployment. She will keep working with her legislative partners to reach a long-term deal.
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